There is a large gap between what is safe and what is legal. I recall having to have my son tested for heavy metals after his daycare was found to have shockingly high levels of cadmium, arsenic, and selenium due to a glass manufacturer nearby. For decades, our lawmakers were aware of high levels of arsenic due to a monitoring station but had not investigated the origins.
"When you walk outside and take a deep breath of air… it is actually broken into a crazy labyrinth of distinct silos of regulation.”
Mary Peveto of Neighbors for Clean Air joins me on the podcast today. We dive into this gap between safety and legality and the many air toxics that are not regulated under the Clean Air Act. Like many Oregonians, I always thought our state had a green reputation and healthy air. I have learned as a lung doctor that is not the case. There is a large gap between what people think is happening with air quality regulation and the reality of our permitting processes that does not protect human health.
“If you concentrate on the intersections [of environmental work] with public health, you cannot avoid … working on social justice issues.”
We also talk about the history of racial injustice in poor air quality, and the difference in action when levels of arsenic were known to be elevated in the historically black community of North Portland vs when cancer causing air toxics were found in whiter neighborhoods.
She recalls seeing the Smokestack report come out from USA today, which revealed that her child’s school, Chapman elementary in NW Portland, was in the bottom 2% in terms of safe air in the country due to an industrial polluter in the neighborhood. She talks about building a broad coalition of stakeholders and working with members of the business community to decrease air pollution with everything from “Good Neighbor Agreements” to policy and regulation. She is an example of the importance of patience and pressure in advocacy, and this podcast is helpful for anyone wanting to learn more about the often challenging topic of air toxics that are not covered under the Clean Air Act. She talks about the work for Cleaner Air Oregon, and the importance of a health-based standard for permitting air toxics.
We also talk about what gives her hope, and future needs for diesel mitigation.
Twitchy Airways Club Members: Diesel exhaust in particular can be very unealthy for those with airway disease. Traffic related air pollution leads to premature birth, smaller lungs in children, and ozone causes emphysema. Pay attention to your own air quality and be cautious if you work in fiels like construction, truck driving, etc. Know the engine quality of your fleet, and read OSHA link below for more information.
Resources this page:
Learn more about Neighbors for Clean Air and their important work here: http://www.whatsinourair.org/ . Consider donating to their important work!
Here is an Oregonian article by Scott Learn about NCA and a Good Neighbor Agreement with ESCO. Source of Peveto photo.
Learn more about Cleaner Air Oregon here.
Initial presentation of moss research data from US Forest Service webinar here.
OSHA site on diesel exhaust- review here. Also source of Instagram photo for this post.
If you live in Oregon, look up your State Senator and Representative here, and tell them how important breathing clean air and that you support the robust permitting standard benchmarked to human health.
